Posted on Feb 19, 2016
Senator Ted Cruz here, what questions do you have for me? (Answering your questions on Feb 26th!)
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From RP Staff:
*Senator Cruz will be joining us for a live Q&A on Friday, 2/26 at 1:00pm EST. Post your questions below in advance of the Q&A. Questions with the most up votes will be answered first. Please be upfront and to the point with your questions. RP Staff will be monitoring this discussion.*
From Senator Ted Cruz:
America now faces a momentous decision. Almost a decade of irresponsible defense cuts has slashed the number of combat personnel, seriously degraded their combat readiness, and shrunk the size of our military below any reasonable standard. If America continues to lead from behind, we will lose the ability to guarantee our safety at home and abroad.
Our all-volunteer force deserves better. They deserve a leader who will provide them with the finest weapons systems and the best training. They deserve the full and unapologetic support of their Commander-in-Chief, not a minimal commitment and overly restrictive Rules of Engagement.
Furthermore, Americans make up the finest military professionals and veterans in the world, and they deserve an investment in their careers, their health, and their families. We must honor of our military members, families, and veterans by ensuring they receive the respect and care they have earned.
Under focused, new leadership, America can, and will, rebuild our military and take care of our veterans.
The financing and the details of my plan: https://www.tedcruz.org/american-resolve/
*Senator Cruz will be joining us for a live Q&A on Friday, 2/26 at 1:00pm EST. Post your questions below in advance of the Q&A. Questions with the most up votes will be answered first. Please be upfront and to the point with your questions. RP Staff will be monitoring this discussion.*
From Senator Ted Cruz:
America now faces a momentous decision. Almost a decade of irresponsible defense cuts has slashed the number of combat personnel, seriously degraded their combat readiness, and shrunk the size of our military below any reasonable standard. If America continues to lead from behind, we will lose the ability to guarantee our safety at home and abroad.
Our all-volunteer force deserves better. They deserve a leader who will provide them with the finest weapons systems and the best training. They deserve the full and unapologetic support of their Commander-in-Chief, not a minimal commitment and overly restrictive Rules of Engagement.
Furthermore, Americans make up the finest military professionals and veterans in the world, and they deserve an investment in their careers, their health, and their families. We must honor of our military members, families, and veterans by ensuring they receive the respect and care they have earned.
Under focused, new leadership, America can, and will, rebuild our military and take care of our veterans.
The financing and the details of my plan: https://www.tedcruz.org/american-resolve/
Election 2016
Ted Cruz
Office of the President (POTUS)
Q&A
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 340
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Not a question, but more of a statement:
Washington is broken and no politician from any party can "fix" it because they lack the will to do so. The gridlock and partisanship are, I believe, exactly what most politicians want in order to keep people at odds so everybody is victimized. If you are a victim you have to vote for somebody to "help" you. That may sound harsh, but I believe it is the truth. I would love to see the system changed so that we actually are a representative republic again, and I believe I have a plan that would work.
1. Repeal the 17th Amendment and return to state legislatures the ability to appoint the two U.S. Senators who represent them. The purpose of the Senate was to give state legislatures representation at the federal level. The senate is NOT there to represent the people directly, but rather give each state an equal voice in government. How many state legislatures did not want Obama Care? 28? That would have been 56 U.S. Senators who would not have voted in support of that bill or they would have been out of a job. I could say the same things about Don't Ask, Don't Tell, DOMA etc. A couple of years ago I checked and there were 17 or 18 states who had one democrat and one republican senator. Those states had ZERO representation at the federal level, but political parties cemented their control. That is not the role of government in a representative republic.
2. Term limits for the House of Representatives. I suggest three terms for a total of 6 years for any person elected to Congress...then they go home, never to return. We have allowed people to become so entrenched with pork barrel politics that they get their constituents so dependent on them they never get kicked out of office. I firmly believe that the only goal of most Members of the House is to try to steal as much money as they can from the other 435 congressional districts simply to bring home the pork so they can get reelected. Nothing of substance gets accomplished. Ever.
3. Real campaign finance reform. For starters make it illegal for a person or corporation to donate money to any political campaign where the seat is not located where the donor lives, or has their company headquarters. If you are running for office in the 9th congressional district of New York the ONLY money you can get is from people and businesses who live or have their corporate headquarters in that district.
4. Close down the border. Democrats are importing illegals so they have another dependent victim class to keep under their thumb. These people who are coming here for a better life are being exploited by pretty much everybody. You could actually fix the border without building a wall at all. Simply make it illegal to: hire, make a loan, rent a house, register to vote, buy a car, enroll in school or get a damn library card to somebody who is here illegally. If you hire an illegal or rent a house or in any way provide a service to them you forfeit your property to the federal government. Period. Take away the incentive to hire these people (because by doing so you risk losing your business) and they will go home on their own. If any city declares itself a sanctuary city withhold all federal money to the entire state until there are no sanctuary cities left. If you have a hold out like California invalidate driver licenses so that they are not considered legal identification for the purposes of air travel, etc.
I know none of my ideas are ever going to happen. Political parties are NOT going to give up the opportunity to consolidate power by appointing Senators. Members of the House are not going to vote themselves out of a job by passing a term limits law, and likewise are not going to give up the money from the big donors who buy influence and favors. Unfortunately no politician is going to advocate anything I said about the border and immigration because you are all pretty much afraid of losing the Hispanic vote.
If I sound jaded, I am. I spent the last 29 years of my life believing in something that I am not sure even exists anymore. We have a constitution for a reason and if we don't turn back to it I'm not sure how much longer we have before American exceptionalism is just a footnote in history.
I very reluctantly voted for McCain. He was (is) a horrible republican who only occasionally gets a conservative streak. I sat home when Romney was running because a big government RINO isn't much better than a big government liberal.
If you get the nomination I will vote for you because I believe you are a conservative; the first one to come around in a long time. If Rubio gets the nomination I will very reluctantly vote for him. If Trump gets the nod I stay home.
Washington is broken and no politician from any party can "fix" it because they lack the will to do so. The gridlock and partisanship are, I believe, exactly what most politicians want in order to keep people at odds so everybody is victimized. If you are a victim you have to vote for somebody to "help" you. That may sound harsh, but I believe it is the truth. I would love to see the system changed so that we actually are a representative republic again, and I believe I have a plan that would work.
1. Repeal the 17th Amendment and return to state legislatures the ability to appoint the two U.S. Senators who represent them. The purpose of the Senate was to give state legislatures representation at the federal level. The senate is NOT there to represent the people directly, but rather give each state an equal voice in government. How many state legislatures did not want Obama Care? 28? That would have been 56 U.S. Senators who would not have voted in support of that bill or they would have been out of a job. I could say the same things about Don't Ask, Don't Tell, DOMA etc. A couple of years ago I checked and there were 17 or 18 states who had one democrat and one republican senator. Those states had ZERO representation at the federal level, but political parties cemented their control. That is not the role of government in a representative republic.
2. Term limits for the House of Representatives. I suggest three terms for a total of 6 years for any person elected to Congress...then they go home, never to return. We have allowed people to become so entrenched with pork barrel politics that they get their constituents so dependent on them they never get kicked out of office. I firmly believe that the only goal of most Members of the House is to try to steal as much money as they can from the other 435 congressional districts simply to bring home the pork so they can get reelected. Nothing of substance gets accomplished. Ever.
3. Real campaign finance reform. For starters make it illegal for a person or corporation to donate money to any political campaign where the seat is not located where the donor lives, or has their company headquarters. If you are running for office in the 9th congressional district of New York the ONLY money you can get is from people and businesses who live or have their corporate headquarters in that district.
4. Close down the border. Democrats are importing illegals so they have another dependent victim class to keep under their thumb. These people who are coming here for a better life are being exploited by pretty much everybody. You could actually fix the border without building a wall at all. Simply make it illegal to: hire, make a loan, rent a house, register to vote, buy a car, enroll in school or get a damn library card to somebody who is here illegally. If you hire an illegal or rent a house or in any way provide a service to them you forfeit your property to the federal government. Period. Take away the incentive to hire these people (because by doing so you risk losing your business) and they will go home on their own. If any city declares itself a sanctuary city withhold all federal money to the entire state until there are no sanctuary cities left. If you have a hold out like California invalidate driver licenses so that they are not considered legal identification for the purposes of air travel, etc.
I know none of my ideas are ever going to happen. Political parties are NOT going to give up the opportunity to consolidate power by appointing Senators. Members of the House are not going to vote themselves out of a job by passing a term limits law, and likewise are not going to give up the money from the big donors who buy influence and favors. Unfortunately no politician is going to advocate anything I said about the border and immigration because you are all pretty much afraid of losing the Hispanic vote.
If I sound jaded, I am. I spent the last 29 years of my life believing in something that I am not sure even exists anymore. We have a constitution for a reason and if we don't turn back to it I'm not sure how much longer we have before American exceptionalism is just a footnote in history.
I very reluctantly voted for McCain. He was (is) a horrible republican who only occasionally gets a conservative streak. I sat home when Romney was running because a big government RINO isn't much better than a big government liberal.
If you get the nomination I will vote for you because I believe you are a conservative; the first one to come around in a long time. If Rubio gets the nomination I will very reluctantly vote for him. If Trump gets the nod I stay home.
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Mr. Cruz: there has been a lot if inflammatory rhetoric by candidates denouncing Muslims & some calling for a ban on Muslims coming into the USA. The DoD has worked very hard to build & maintain positive relations in the region, especially the Middle East. For example, the Kuwati government purchases billions in military gear from US suppliers, shares HUMINT & provides extraordinary training capabilities for our Forces. The Gulf Cooperative Council is taking the ground war to Daesh because they know that enemy. That will save many American lives in the process. How will you, as President maintain or improve this vital relationship? Who would be your choice for Sec State?
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As President who would be you first choice to replace Scalia on the Supreme Court. Also, I would hope that you stand against any nomination that this President nominates as we are one Liberal justice away from our second ammendment being taken away, And 30 million illegals being democratic voters. And then Obama's fundamentally change of the US will be complete. In Joe Biden's own words he stated to the Senate in 1992 that no president should select a supreme court justice in an election year.
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You mentioned on your site “Peace through strength is not outdated, it is the heart of deterrence—but it requires both peace and strength." Considering the growing presence of China, Iran, and Russia as potential wartime adversaries, or antagonistic regional powers . . how does your plan to re-vamp the military with an up-tick in military spending and quality gear deter these threats? Which of the following best exemplifies your "Big Stick Policy": training, manpower, equipment, or military exercises? I spent 10 years in the Marine Corps and I love Presidents that fund the military in a capacity that allows us to truly function. I just need to understand how this big stick policy isn't a Cold War 2.0.
Sgt Biggs
Sgt Biggs
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Sir, would your administration continue support for the Pacific tilt by the US military? What is your position on a Congressional declaration of war on ISIS?
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Senator Ted Cruz Welcome to Rally Point thank you for taking the time to share your insight and answer questions. If elected as the Commander and Chief will you look to help all the personnel, active and veterans alike, who struggle to make ends meet. Pay and entitlements to those who choose or have served. selfless service.
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Senator, you and the other republican candidates have spent a lot of time telling us how you differ from each other. I am more concerned about how you are different from Sec Clinton and Sen Sanders. Stay away from the typical liberal vs. conservative beliefs. Don't give us platitudes, help us differentiate you from the noise the others are making.
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Flat out Senator, will you listen to the members of your military cabinet how will you appoint those members? Will you be willing to send us into combat again of necessary, many seeing it currently a necessity to destroy ISIS
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What will you do to make the Federal Government more accountable and responsive to the American people?
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